I'm Not Sorry I Ran A Red Light

[cd365]

My son once fell off a moored narrowboat into a deep canal. There were at least 20 adults about. Very few of them so much as lifted a finger to help. Some laughed.

People often become paralysed, or otherwise respond inappropriately, or become confused, in situation they have not encountered before, or where they are afraid. A fair number of studies have shown "most people" just don't do the "right" thing in a crisis for all sorts of reasons.

I'm assuming your son was ok and unhurt?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I'm assuming your son was ok and unhurt?

He survived with no lasting harm other than a fear of water. But he hasn't thus far signed up to be a PCSO.

 

[summerdays]

I remember someone once posting a video from the ambulance service possibly saying what all you should and shouldn't do in response to hearing and seeing blue lights and sirens. And I'm sure the video said that you shouldn't go through red lights and that the sirens possibly should be switched off if they see they can't progress?

Can anyone find that old post? I would guess it was at least 12 months old, or the video directly?

 

[Markymark]

My son once fell off a moored narrowboat into a deep canal. There were at least 20 adults about. Very few of them so much as lifted a finger to help. Some laughed.

studies show that people respond in small groups as in larger groups responsibility seems to be diluted, as in someone else will probably do something better than I can. When nobody does anything then the individual is still unlikely as they don't want to be the odd one out.

From my own memory I lose count of the sad headlines of people drowned who went in to save someone who also ended up drowning.

 

[Beebo]

From my own memory I lose count of the sad headlines of people drowned who went in to save someone who also ended up drowning.

It is an extremely dangerous thing to do, as the drowning person can drag the rescuer down with them.
I'm not sure i would go into deep water to rescue a stranger without some sort of bouyancy aid.
I certainly wouldnt enter ice or fast flowing water.

 

[CopperBrompton]

studies show that people respond in small groups as in larger groups responsibility seems to be diluted, as in someone else will probably do something better than I can.

Genovese Syndrome, or diffusion of responsibility. (Named after the murder of Kitty Genovese, where initial reports said that 38 people saw or heard the attack and did nothing - something later cast into doubt, but by that stage the phenomenon had been named.)

 

[Cuchilo]

Genovese Syndrome ? In the old days they used to be called idiots .

 

[veloevol]

It is an extremely dangerous thing to do, as the drowning person can drag the rescuer down with them.
I'm not sure i would go into deep water to rescue a stranger without some sort of bouyancy aid.
I certainly wouldn't enter ice or fast flowing water.

That happened to me when I was 10. My little brother was 7 years old and couldn't swim, he was on a floating bean bag and he fell off near me. As I went near he immediately grabbed me and used me as buoyancy to escape drowning. Notably with no regard for my own oxygen needs. So underneath I went, holding my breath, treading water and holding him aloft until Dad plucked him out.

For me it was certainly a lesson on what your own brother would do to you to survive.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Genovese Syndrome ? In the old days they used to be called idiots .

You see the same thing anytime a fire-alarm goes off unexpectedly. What's the first thing almost everyone does? Look at each other to see if other people get up.

 

[MontyVeda]

http://www.policecommunitysupportofficer.com/welcome.html
The first line states "Police Community Support Officers are members of support staff", they are not police offices they are civilians, i.e. members of the public. They are employed by a police force as "support staff". The police officer who turned up in your example jumped in and pulled the kid out, he coped. Some of the members of the public there helped, the fishermen did, the PCSOs didn't. The PCSOs as members of the public in my opinion did not do their civic duty and try to save the kid and should hang their head in shame. You are confusing PCSOs as police officers, they are not.

whilst you're busy trying to score a point, you might want to consider that i used the generic term 'police', not 'police officer' before you started getting all hair splitty... whilst they are not police 'officers', they are part of the 'police'. and that's the last time I'll explain something so simple to you.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

I remember someone once posting a video from the ambulance service possibly saying what all you should and shouldn't do in response to hearing and seeing blue lights and sirens. And I'm sure the video said that you shouldn't go through red lights and that the sirens possibly should be switched off if they see they can't progress?

Can anyone find that old post? I would guess it was at least 12 months old, or the video directly?

There's a similar video here.

The upshot is that emergency vehicle crews neither expect nor want you to disobey a red light to let them through. This video even advises that you don't pull over into a bus lane either.

As for the OP, I accept he was acting with the best of intentions but I wouldn't have done the same in that situation. The police are trained to deal with these situations and don't need this kind of help.

GC

 

[CopperBrompton]

There's a similar video here.
The upshot is that emergency vehicle crews neither expect nor want you to disobey a red light to let them through.

The video is aimed at the lowest common denominator, so I would always say use your judgement, but with an awareness that much traffic enforcement these days is automated and I don't fancy arguing the toss over a ticket from a red light camera a fortnight later.

 

[veloevol]

There's a similar video here.
This video even advises that you don't pull over into a bus lane either

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Someone didn't pay attention in class.


GC

 

[Brandane]

There's a similar video here.

The upshot is that emergency vehicle crews neither expect nor want you to disobey a red light to let them through. This video even advises that you don't pull over into a bus lane either.
GC

That video was made by "GEM", an organisation of which this is the first I have heard. Apparently it stands for The Guild of Experienced Motorists. I am none the wiser. All I can add is that I drove Police vehicles for 18 years, and if I was trying to get to an urgent incident then I would be EXTREMELY hacked off if I was being prevented from doing so by some self righteous nobber blocking the traffic by sitting at a red traffic light.
By that, I don't mean they should charge through the red light into the path of oncoming traffic, but rather that they should use common sense and move far enough out of the way to allow other traffic to move to the side or through the junction so that emergency vehicles can get through.